1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a process for preparing extruded fibrous shrimp or crabmeat analog products from solutions containing both protein and alginate.
2. Description of the Invention
Protein-alginate fibers have been produced from solutions containing both protein, such as soy protein, and alginate salts, as disclosed, for example, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,093,483, 3,627,536 and 3,829,587. In the processes disclosed in these references, however, the extrudate is processed, in such a way, through a single gelling bath and under such conditions of temperature and/or pH control as to produce shrimp or crabmeat analog products that do not have as good a combination of the textural, juiciness and chewiness characteristics of natural crabmeat or shrimp as is desired.
Thus, prior to the present invention, it has not been readily possible to produce extruded fibrous shrimp or crabmeat analog products from extrudable solutions of protein and alginate which have an acceptable combination of texture, juiciness and chewiness which approximates that of natural shrimp or crabmeat.